The advice zone

I am a final year medical student but because of academic problems my graduation is being delayed. I have a job secured for February 2006 but wish to use the intervening time beneficially. Do you have any advice?

You can certainly make the most of the time between now and February. If you've had problems getting through the exams, you probably now need a well deserved holiday, and I suggest that's the first thing you do. That way you really can throw yourself into the following six months. It is important that you are able to “sell” what you do in the next six months—that way any future interviewer will be more interested in what you did with this spare time than in why you didn't pass your exams first time. So what are you interested in? What do you want to do with this golden opportunity? The world is your oyster. Do you want to work in the developing world? Because you aren't registered yet and have limited experience, non-governmental organisations and aid agencies are unlikely to take you. You can always write to hospitals directly—and to be honest, that would be your best approach. You can try to apply to more Western hospitals, however, without …